Lifting tool for elevator chains



Ma 29, 1945. ED Y V 2,377,258

LIFTiNG TOOL FOR ELEVATOR CHAINS Filed on. 15, 1945 8 l/vx/fi/vroeq HAROLD QMEDLEY; 1

Patented May 29, 1945 LIFTING TOOL FOR ELEVATOR CHAINS Harold C. Medley, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of 1 Ohio Application October 15, 1943, Serial No. 506,457

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a lifting mechanism or tool for an elevator or conveyor chain or chains.

An object of the invention therefore is to provide an improved tool of the above-mentioned type.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool which is capable of lifting a very heavy chain or conveyor mechanism of an elevator or conveyor so that chain links may be disconnected for replacement or to provide access to a head sprocket or wheel.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevational view with parts in section showing the tool of my invention, in position adjacent the head of an elevator or conveyor;

Fig. 2 is a transverse elevational view showing a portion of the tool of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing in detail part of the tool.

It may be stated that the tool of my invention is designed particularly to be used in connection with the chain and conveyor mechanism disclosed in the application of Stanley M. Mercier, Serial No. 500,799, for an Elevator, filed September 1, 1943, though, of course. its use is not so limited and it mayfind use with various other elevators or conveyors.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing there is illustrated the upper end of a conveyor or elevator Ill which is disclosed in full detail in the above-mentioned application of Stanley M. Mercier. This elevator or conveyor as illustrated has its top removed to provide access to the endless conveyor chains, one of which is seen at H, there being two such chains laterally spaced-apart which carry a plurality of buckets, not shown. Gonveyor chains ll run on a pair of laterally spaced-apart sprockets, one of which is seen at it, which are mounted upon a head shaft l3 carried. in appropriate bearings, not illustrated, supported by structural frame members of the conveyor. The structural frame members of the conveyor include a lateral channel !4 on each side thereof, which channels are connected across the front end of the conveyor by a front channel E5. The channels l4 and I5 are supported upon upwardly extending I-beams or the like, forming the frame of the conveyor M, as illustrated in full detail in the above-mentioned Mercier application.

Each of the side walls of the conveyor is provided with chain guides l6 which guide the working and return runs of the chain 1 l as they travel through the elevator casing or housing.

In an elevator or conveyor of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned Mercier application, the weight of the chain conveyor mechanism is very great. and the principal function of the tool of my invention is to take the weight of the conveyor chains H off their head sprockets l2 and the shaft I3, whereby each conveyor chain ll may be broken as by removing a connecting link pin. This may be done either'to replace a worn, damaged or broken chain link or to remove a sprocket IE or 'a shaft l3 for in- 2 extending cross-beams l7, l1, each of which as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, is formed by a pair of channel members which are spaced-apart and which are connected at their tops and bottoms by plates which are welded thereto. The top of each cross-beam I! also includes a pair of spaced bearing plates l8, 18 which are welded as a unit with the cross-beam l1 and which provide spherical bearing surfaces for a pair of similar spaced bearing washers or plates I 9.

Extending downwardly through the center of each of the cross-beams l1 and between the two channel members thereof is supporting means in the form of a pair of laterally spaced lift links or rods 20 which at their bottoms are preferably formed as eye-bolts. The upper end of each of the rods 20 is threaded and receives an elongated nut 2|, the bottomof which preferably bears against one or more washers seated on top of the bearing'washer l9. A ratchet wrench 22 or the like is preferably provided to operate each of the nuts 2|.

It may be pointed out that since there are two cross-beams I! and each of said cross-beams I! has two spaced-apart supporting rods 21!, there will be four such rods 20 and co-operating means for adjusting said rods vertically.

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, proper positioning of the cross-beams I7 is provided by drilling holes in the bases thereof which cooperate with pins 23 which are provided on the top angle of the elevator 'or conveyor housing or casing. The weight supported by the crossbeams is taken by the heavy side channels M and it is transmitted thereto by means of downwardly extending feet 24 formed on opposite ends of each cross-beam ll, the bottoms of which feet 24 rest squarely on the upper flange of each side channel l4.

To provide an attaching, lifting and supporting connection between both the working and return runs of the two chains H and thetool, said tool includes a pair of similar hanger beams 25, one adapted to extend through the links of both the working and return runs of one of the chains 1 l.

Each of the hanger beams 25 is in the form of an I-beam which at each end is provided with a stub shaft 26 which is split from its base upwardly an appreciable distance so that it can straddle the center web of said I-beam forming the beam 25. The stub shafts 26 are then preferably welded to form an integral part of said beam 25.

The outer end of each stub-shaft extends beyond the I-beam and is preferably provided with a circumferential groove 21 which is adapted to receive and hold a link 28 which is swiveled to the bottom of the lift rod 20.

Adjacent its top each of the hanger beams 25 is provided with spaced bosses 29, there being one boss 29 on each side of the knuckle of each link of chain H which is being supported by the tool. This, of course, insures the chain ll being properly positioned and retained on the hanger beam As clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawin between two of the hang rods 20 which are carried by a common cross-beam N, there is preferably a tie rod 30, the purpose of which is to keep them properly spaced apart and also to keep them from rotating when the wrench 22 is operated.

In the use of the tool insofar as it has been described, it is evident that while the conveyor chain H is on its sprocket I2, the first thing that is done is to insert the hanger beam 25 between the side bars of two aligned links of chain H, one on the working run, the other on the return run. To aid in'this, I provide a guide plate 3| which is attached to the tops of guides l6, and the hanger beam 25 is merely extended through one of the chain links and slid over the guide plate 3| until it is worked through a second chain link. Space for this is provided by removing the rear wall or plate 32 of the conveyor casing which will allow the hanger beam 25 to be worked between the chain links from the right to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1 of the drawing. It is, of course, obvious that if desired, only one chain H of the conveyor may be elevated and released at any time, though if desired they may both be so elevated and released.

After the hanger beam is extended between the chain links, as above described, it will be approximately in the dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The lift links or tension rods 20 will then be lowered sumciently to permit the links or loops 28- to slip over the outer ends of the pins or stub shafts 26, and be received in the grooves 21. The nuts 2| are then taken up on the rods 20 by operating the ratchet wrenches 22 until the upper edge of the hanger beam 25 is against the chain knuckles on both the working and return runs and the knuckles are between a pair of bosses 29. Thereafter, simultaneous or successive elevation of the rods- 20,

preferably in small steps if the operation is sucthe associated bearings are to be removed or repaired, both chains ll of the conveyor must be removed from their associated sprockets 2 and disconnected.

In addition to the structure above described, there is illustrated in the drawing additional mechanism which is the invention of one, Harvey S. Schneider, which is disclosed and claimed in his application, Serial No. 506,459, filed October 15, 1943. This structure is in the form of a hook bolt 33, there being one such hook bolt 33 and associated mechanism for each of the rods 20. The function of the hook bolt 33 is to support that portion of the chain which is above the hanger beam 25. Since this chain has appreciableweight, this has been found to be quite a desirable addition to the tool without said hook bolt.

The hook bolt 33 has a threaded upper end provided with an adjusting nut 34 and it extends through a bevel washer 35 which is carried by the bearing plate It. The bearing washer 35 and associated portion of the plate l8 are provided with large openings through which the bolt 33 extends to provide for its ready manipulation so that the lower hook end thereof may be hooked below a knuckle of one of the links of chain H.

Below the nut 34 and on top of the bevel washer 35 is a thrust washer 36 which co-operates with the bevel washer 35 to provide adequate bearing surface to carry the load carried by said hook 33 and associated parts.

The operation of the hook 33 and associated parts isbelieved clear from the above description and it may be adjusted either simultaneously with or after the adjacent rod 20 has been adjusted to lift chain II to the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing, which is its position just prior to the removal of the top connecting pin thereof.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. as defined by the claims hereto appended, and I therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A lifting tool for the load and slack runs of an endless elevator chain including a cross-beam having feet adapted to rest on and be supported by an elevator frame, a hanger beam adapted to extend through links of both the working and return runs of said chain, link retaining means on said hanger beam for each chain link, and adjustable means connecting said hanger beam and said cross-beam.

2. A tool for lifting the load and return runs of a conveyor chain to provide for its severance at the head sprocket including a spaced cross-- beam adapted to be supported by a conveyor, 9.

hanger beam adapted to be connected to both runs of said chain, lift link supporting means connecting said hanger beam and said crossbeam, means providing a readily removable con nection between said supporting means and said hanger beam and including loops adapted to slide loosely over the ends of said hanger beam, and means for adjusting the length of said lift link supporting means.

' HAROLD C. MEDLEY. 

